Kabul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Six UN employees, all foreigners, were killed in a Taliban attack on a hotel and another hotel in the central area of the city was hit by at least three rockets.

The attack is designed to create fear and insecurity before the presidential runoff election set for 7 November.

According to preliminary reports, this morning at 6.30 local time, the militants entered the Bakhtar Guesthouse firing, killing the 6-residents, all UN employees, and wounding 9. Police surrounded the building and exchanged gun shots with the terrorists, ahead of the explosions. The remains of 3 militants were found in the wake of the suicide blast. The Afghan police say the militants appear to be Pakistanis.

Meanwhile another hotel, the Serena, near the presidential palace, was hit by rockets. The guests, many of them foreigners, raced to the cellar, used as a bunker. The hotel had suffered another attack last year in January.

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack against UN employees, stating that they want to obstruct the presidential election. Since the elections of 20 August, disqualified by fraud, the country's security is at a maximum. While waiting for the balloting between Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, the capital was hit several times.

Earlier this month a suicide attack on the Indian Embassy killed 17, yesterday eight U.S. troops were killed in the south, in what - with 53 deaths - has been called "the deadliest months" since the beginning of the war of eight years ago. Meanwhile U.S. President Barack Obama remains undecided whether to increase the armed contingent in Afghanistan or not, as requested in January Stanley McChrystal, commander of U.S. and NATO troops.